The Re-Awakening of the Enchantress

Steph

I celebrated Imbolc, the ancient festival of the coming of Spring, which takes place each year at the beginning of February when the first snowdrops push their shoots above ground, on Monday 5th this year, on the new moon.

I celebrated it by beginning a series of storytelling workshops about the Enchantress. 6 people joined me to hear the true story of my journey to discovering how and why the enchantress is such an important archetype. We also heard the Welsh tale of the Flower Maiden who became an Owl; Blodeuwedd, from the Mabinogion and the hidden story within it. There will 7 more events spread out between the new moon on March 6th and the full (honey) moon on June 17th.

Why not join me on one of these dates? I am looking for a maximum of 12 people for each event to come and participate, hear the stories and contribute their own experiences of the enchantress in their life.

These events form the research for the MA dissertation I am writing for the University of Wales, Trinity St David, Lampeter, on the role of the Enchantress in our times. The events are (audio) recorded and it could be that what you add to the discussion might end up as part of the final paper, contributing to important research. For this reason everybody who takes part will be asked to sign a consent form giving me permission to quote you and /or mention your words in some way in my paper. Any participant will be allowed to change their mind about this permission before the paper is published in 2020.

If you want to be enchanted by story, you want to start to learn what our ancient British myths have to tell us today, or you would like to share your own experience of enchantment this event is for you!

There will also be an opportunity to join an on-going group of others who have participated in an event to continue to share insights and stories.

The next events takes place at the GateHouse, 2, High Street, Totnes on Wednesday, 6th March (6:30-9:30pm) and Saturday, 9th March (2-5pm) as part of Totnes School of English’s Women’s Week celebrations.

Future dates:

21st March, 5th April, 19th April, (S. Devon) 4th May, (Stroud) 18th May (Norfolk), 17th June (Wales).

Join the facebook event here.

Well Being and Eco Tourism in Devon

Steph
River Dart

A week long immersive course with international trainer and storyteller Steph Bradley.

Dates:

Wednesday 31st July – Tuesday 6th August 2019

Venue:

Bala Brook Retreat Centre, https://www.balabrook.org.uk , Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK.

Accommodation:

A range of single and twin rooms, some en-suite, situated in an idyllic setting of gardens bordering open moorland.

Meals:

All meals provided, self service breakfast, soups and salads (packed lunches on excursion days), 2 course dinner. Vegetarian, organic, seasonal and local where possible.

Transport:

All local transport included.

Pick up from and drop off at Marley Head airport bus drop off point or Totnes train station.

Local mini bus to take us on excursions.

Facilitators:

Steph Bradley, Dip Ed, Dip Yoga, Dip Phil, MA (dissertation in progress)

25 years teaching and training experience in EFL, ESP, EMI. Qualified Yoga teacher, 20 years experience in well-being practices, Transition pilgrim, published author and professional storyteller.

Harula Ladd

Freelance writer and poet, running creative workshops.

Ben Chadwick

Harmony Gardener with more than 40 years experience of food growing and the practice of well being in gardens and out in nature.

Guest Teachers:

Emma Cunis

Owner founder of Dartmoor’s Daughter.

Leads guided walks on Dartmoor with nature connection, archaeology and other themes.

Mac Macartney

Founder of Embercombe, centre for deep nature connection and indigenous teachings, inspirational international speaker and author.

Provisional Course Schedule

Day 1 : Arrivals, Tour of Bala Brook. welcome supper, evening get together.

Day 2: Yoga and meditation, Introductory sessions. Creative writing session. Talk by Mac Macartney.

Day 3: Dawn Chorus walk. Excursion to Transition Town Totnes. Guided walk around transition projects, free time to explore. Storytelling: The Tale of Transition.

Day 4: Yoga / walking meditation. Day long guided walk on Dartmoor. Creative writing session.

Day 5: Yoga/ walking meditation. Excursion to eco- project 1 ( group choice), Session: Eco Tourism in Devon. Free evening.

Day 6: Yoga/walking meditation. Excursion to eco- project 2 ( group choice). Session: Well Being and Eco Tourism. Poetry and Music evening.

Day 7: Networking session. Departures. Packed lunches available.

Well Being and Creativity

An integral part of the week will be experiential well being and creativity sessions including:

Yoga and movement

Meditation

Connection walks

Storytelling,music and poetry evenings

Creative writing/art/craft

No prior knowledge is required.These practices are suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Sessions are designed both to enable personal relaxation and to stimulate awareness of a range of practices that provide professionals with options to consider offering in their own field, as well as to provide participants with memorable moments of their trip. We ask participants to bring along a journal.

Options:

Teaching Sessions: These can be tailor made to suit the group’s interests. If a group comes together as a unit, for example, from one institution,the whole course can be tailored to meet requirements.

English Tuition: Depending on the group profile English tuition can be built into sessions.

Eco-Projects: South Devon boasts a range of successful eco-projects. Once a group is confirmed a choice of excursions will be offered in line with group interests. ( e.g. food growing, alternative power sources, natural building, community living, well being services and practices.)

Special Diets: Within reason most special diets can be accommodated: e.g.Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free and most allergies. Please note that as the menus will be vegetarian, paleo- diets and other high protein diets cannot be specially catered for.

Cost:

£1200 all inclusive.

Deposit £600.00 due by the 30th April 2019.

Final Balance due 30th June 2019.

Deadline for accepting new bookings:

Friday, 19th April 2019.

Contact:

Steph Bradley transitiontales@googlemail.com or +44 (0)1364 644978 for more information and to request a booking form.

Disclaimer:

We ask that all participants take out travel and health insurance and are in good physical and mental health. This is an intensive course and there will be plenty of physical exercise. You will be asked to disclose any health issues on the booking form.

Vision the Future …. and help Create it!

Steph

Over the Rainbow – Steph Bradley 2012

Host me on my latest story collecting tour

– from Midsummer 2018

Throughout the summers of 2018 and 2019 I will be taking my interactive story game ‘The Quest to 2050’ to venues across the British Isles, weaving together the indigenous wisdom of our ancestors from the myths they left us with the visions of the young people of today  to create a New-Old story for our Times; one that reminds us that we cannot grow a healthy future without being deeply rooted in our sense of place, one that acknowledges the inspiration all people carry to change the world for the better and, most of all, one that bids us live deeply connected to self and the present moment.

The book that will emerge from this process will be told as a story; embedded within it will be the truth of the elders of our past and vision of the young of our tomorrow. Its message; to live at the very edge of what we believe is possible with all our passion, hope and energy, for those are our gifts to this world.

To get involved in the process of story gathering you can contact me at transitiontales@googlemail.com .  The Quest for visions of 2050 will begin midsummer 2018 and end Lammas 2019. Would you host a playing of the story game and gather a group to play? Homes, halls, gardens, woodland, festivals, storytelling huts and chairs, community spaces and gatherings of all kinds are ideal for visioning the future.

What is The Quest to 2050 ?

  • The Quest is an interactive game I have been working on since 2009 when I led a team of volunteers taking Transition Tales into schools.
  • It started out as a way of exploring gritty issues of the day to find out-of-the-box, creative solutions.
  • The Quest has been played all over the world and with all ages, and types of groups, from families to educators, and in all settings from festivals to public community events.
  • Later I developed a dimension that explored our own inner responses to the world around us.
  • Now, the game is in its third stage; how can our creative solutions, together with our inner reflections on our own responses to today’s challenges, come together to vision a better future.
  • The Quest is fun, highly communicative, and a great way of accessing your inner passion to be a change maker!
  • What we vision today becomes the future!

Want to be a host?

You will need to :
  • Provide a venue
  • Gather a group of people together (btw 6- 30)
  • Organise a bring and share meal
You might need to:
  • Provide me with overnight accommodation

Summer Tour 2018

Where I will be when:

June – Devon

June – Wales

July –  Lancashire, Cumbria

August – Oxfordshire,  Glos., Hampshire, Dorset

September –  Cornwall & Devon

 

Friends old and friends new – I would love to see you and share some magical storytime!